Sto Provides Dramatic Opening Act for Refurbished Theatre

Tara Theatre in Earlsfield has undergone an extensive programme of extension and refurbishment, and given a striking new appearance which centres on a large Banyan tree motif that has been designed to wrap around different elevations of the building.

The project architects, Aedas Arts Team, were looking to create an eye-catching appearance for the building which reflected the multi-cultural nature of the events now being held there. “In India, the Banyan tree often represents a focal point of a community where people gather and so it was a very appropriate motif to use on the building,” explains Julian Middleton of Aedas Arts Team.

“We chose a StoRend Flex Cote rendered finish for the building as we were looking to achieve a ‘soft’ appearance, and then we added the raised profile tree motif which appears to ‘grow’ out from the theatre walls. StoDeco Profile seemed to be by far the most attractive material to use for the tree, as it would allow us to create something that was really unique.”

“This was an unusual project for us,” reveals Mark Shepherd from Sto Technical Services. “Our StoDeco Profile panels are normally used to create more traditional architectural detailing around windows, doors and soffits, but this was completely different. However, StoDeco panels can be machined to match any existing profile or, as in this case, to create a custom design element.

“The architects were looking for a finished appearance where the tree design was prominent, but without actually dominating the building’s appearance. StoDeco profile is easy to work on an intricate design such as this, so it was the ideal solution to create the desired effect.”

Although the branches of the tree design are straight, many of them taper as they cross the building and this required careful on-site installation work from main contractor, H.A. Marks Construction. “The tree design actually stands some 25mm proud of the render coat, and so accurate installation was essential if we were going to create the right look and feel for the building,” explains a spokesman from H.A. Marks. “We used StoDeco Coll adhesive to apply the tree branches, and these were over-painted with StoColor Maxicryl to create a uniform finish."

“Sto had also worked very closely with the architect on the design and setting out of the component parts for the tree. This certainly made the installation process much smoother than we had anticipated and the end result is very impressive.”

The StoDeco Profile panels are manufactured from Verolith which comprises 90% perlite volcanic stone, making it highly resistant to weather and other environmental factors. Light in weight and easy to work on site, the panels are quick to install and form a particularly durable bond with the various renders and paints that are available from Sto.

The new Tara Theatre is the country’s first purpose-built multi-cultural venue of its type, housing a 100-seat auditorium and a separate rehearsal studio for up to 30 people.